Cessna 150 accident near Lansing, Michigan, January 26, 1992
On January 26, 1992 at about 4:14 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N5842G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lansing, Michigan (Capital City airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING A TAKEOFF GROUND RUN. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT ARE THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION, HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE, AND THE SOFT TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 1992 · about 4:14 pm local time
- Place
- Lansing, Michigan · Capital City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N5842G · no longer on the register · serial 15071342
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED DOWN IN SOFT TERRAIN DURING A TAKEOFF GROUND RUN. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT AND THE STUDENT WAS PERFORMING A FIRST SUPERVISED SOLO FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED: 'ON TAKE OFF WINDOW POPPED OPEN ON PASSENGER SIDE. AS I TRIED TO SHUT IT I WENT OFF THE RUNWAY.'
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 14 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,757 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 11, 1991; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lansing Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 7,251 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:20 pm from LAN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.